System and method for consent-based tracking and providing targeted advertising
Systems and methods of tracking and rewarding users of any of a variety of content hosting systems, such as search engines. In one embodiment, a method of rewarding a user of a search engine includes receiving secure identification information identifying a user, retrieving user account information using the secure identification information, receiving a search query associated with the user account information, crediting the user account with a reward that is directly related to providing the search query, and returning search results in response to the received search query.
1 . A method of displaying targeted advertising, the method comprising:
receiving user profile data corresponding to a user account, wherein:
the user profile data describes historical information about a user; and
the historical information comprises browsing activities performed by the user;
determining tracking of the user via an interface on a user device, wherein:
the interface allows the user to enable and disable the tracking during the browsing activities performed by the user; and
through a toggle selection made on the user device, at least one action is performed that is selected from the group consisting of: enabling the tracking and disabling the tracking;
tracking new browsing activities performed by the user, wherein the new browsing activities comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of search queries based on the toggle selection and browsing history based on the toggle selection; and
updating the user profile data based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:
information input by the user; and
inferred information determined from the browsing activities.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein information selected from the group consisting of income level, age, location, education level, profession, employment, associated educational institutions, buying habits, group memberships, relationship status, relationship preferences, hobbies, subscriptions, preferred vendors, favorite movies, favorite books, languages, and preferred travel destinations, describes at least one selected from the group consisting of the inferred information and user information described in the user profile data.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of:
providing a reward to the user in exchange for enabling the tracking during the new browsing activities; and
updating the user profile data based on the search queries.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the reward comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
free access to a search engine, wherein particular browsing activities performed on the search engine are stored in the historical information;
free access to a web browser, wherein particular browsing activities performed on the web browser are stored in the historical information;
free access to an application;
free access to a particular device; and
an improved quality of services available to the user.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the particular device is the user device.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user profile data comprises importing the user profile data from a 3rd party account to the user account.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the 3 rd party account is a social network account.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the toggle selection is made using a toggle switch selected from a group consisting of a hardware toggle switch and a software toggle switch.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a rewards management server is used to perform at least one selected from the group consisting of:
tracking the new browsing activities; and
updating the user profile data.
10 . A user device for displaying targeted advertising, the user device comprising:
a storage unit, wherein:
the storage unit stores:
instructions for tracking browsing activities performed by a user; and
user profile data, corresponding to a user account, that describes historical information about the user; and
the historical information comprises the browsing activities performed by the user;
a user interface, wherein:
the user interface comprises a toggle switch;
the toggle switch is used to enable and disable tracking of the user during the browsing activities performed by the user; and
through a toggle selection made on the toggle switch, at least one action is performed that is selected from the group consisting of: enabling the tracking and disabling the tracking; and
a connection to a computing unit, wherein the computing unit is configured to execute the instructions to:
track new browsing activities performed by the user, wherein the new browsing activities comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of search queries based on the toggle selection and browsing history based on the toggle selection; and
update the user profile data based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:
information input, by the user, into the user interface; and
inferred information determined from the browsing activities.
11 . The user device of claim 10 , wherein information selected from the group consisting of income level, age, location, education level, profession, employment, associated educational institutions, buying habits, group memberships, relationship status, relationship preferences, hobbies, subscriptions, preferred vendors, favorite movies, favorite books, languages, and preferred travel destinations, describes at least one selected from the group consisting of the inferred information and user information described in the user profile data.
12 . The user device of claim 10 , wherein the computing unit is further configured to execute the instructions to perform at least one selected from the group consisting of:
providing a reward to the user in exchange for enabling the tracking during the new browsing activities; and
updating the user profile data based on the search queries.
13 . The user device of claim 12 , wherein the reward comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
free access to a search engine, wherein particular browsing activities performed on the search engine are stored in the historical information;
free access to a web browser, wherein particular browsing activities performed on the web browser are stored in the historical information;
free access to an application;
free access to a particular device; and
an improved quality of services available to the user.
14 . The user device of claim 13 , wherein the particular device is the user device.
15 . The user device of claim 10 , wherein the computing unit is further configured to execute the instructions to import the user profile data from a 3 rd party account to the user account.
16 . The user device of claim 15 , wherein the 3 rd party account is a social network account.
17 . The user device of claim 10 , wherein the toggle switch is selected from a group consisting of a hardware toggle switch and a software toggle switch.
18 . An operation method for displaying targeted advertising, the operation method comprising:
transmitting user profile data corresponding to a user account, wherein:
the user profile data describes historical information about a user; and
the historical information comprises browsing activities performed by the user;
saving a toggle selection, received from a user device associated with the user, wherein the toggle selection is used to perform at least one action, during the browsing activities performed by the user, that is selected from the group consisting of enabling tracking and disabling tracking;
identifying new browsing activities performed by the user, wherein the new browsing activities comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of search queries based on the toggle selection and browsing history based on the toggle selection; and
updating the user profile data based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:
information input by the user; and
inferred information determined from the browsing activities.
19 . The operation method of claim 18 , wherein information selected from the group consisting of income level, age, location, education level, profession, employment, associated educational institutions, buying habits, group memberships, relationship status, relationship preferences, hobbies, subscriptions, preferred vendors, favorite movies, favorite books, languages, and preferred travel destinations, describes at least one selected from the group consisting of the inferred information and user information described in the user profile data.
20 . The operation method of claim 18 , further comprising transferring a reward to the user device in exchange for enabling the tracking during the new browsing activities.
21 . The operation method of claim 20 , wherein the reward comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
free access to a search engine, wherein particular browsing activities performed on the search engine are stored in the historical information;
free access to a web browser, wherein particular browsing activities performed on the web browser are stored in the historical information;
free access to an application;
free access to a particular device; and
an improved quality of services available to the user.
22 . The operation method of claim 18 , further comprising importing the user profile data from a 3 rd party account to the user account.
23 . The operation method of claim 22 , wherein the 3 rd party account is a social network account.
24 . The operation method of claim 18 , wherein the toggle selection is made using a toggle switch selected from a group consisting of a hardware toggle switch and a software toggle switch.
25 . The operation method of claim 18 , wherein a rewards management server is used to perform at least one selected from the group consisting of:
tracking the new browsing activities; and
updating the user profile data.